From Physcopath to Teenager

In the past, I have always associated myself as an emotionless person. When I reached puberty with the rest of my class, I never felt it hit me the way it did others. My friends would talk about how they would get emotional about the chocolate bar that fell on the floor or say their mom was ruining their life. Not me! In making these observations, I came to the conclusion that I was part psychopath. My sophomore year, I faintly felt the same things that girls my age had been saying since I was 11. I started getting emotional over the smallest things: my handwriting was too sloppy or accidently skipping the song I liked on Spotify (I didn’t have premium).

This past week, I have learned enough about the teenage brain that gave me information that explains what I once thought was psychopathy. By watching a video about Why the Teenage Brain has an Evolutionary Advantage, I was able to learn about the physical change of the Prefrontal Cortex and Striatum. The Striatum is the part of the brain in control of rewards system and risky behaviors. It’s a hyperresponsive section that looks for maximum rewards instantaneously, rather than thinking about the consequences; it holds the Limbic system which is in control of emotions and connecting to glands in your brain which secrete hormones. The Prefrontal Cortex is the last part of your brain to develop which is responsible for making good decisions and staying calm and collected.

Follow-up Question: If brain development starts later or earlier for some than others, does this change the age of the “end” or “complete” development? Is there a distinct rate at which other people’s brains develop? If so, what determines that rate?

Below, are the visual notes that I took from the video.